Governor Morrisey Signs House Bill 3336

Signing of House Bill 3336 by Gov. Patrick Morrisey last week will update West Virginia oil and gas laws to allow a better method for plugging abandoned and orphaned wells.
“We must protect West Virginia’s natural resources and unique environment,” said Morrisey. “This new law cuts unnecessary regulation, safeguards our ecosystem and saves taxpayer dollars.”
Morrisey, Harold Ward, Dept. of Environmental Protection secretary, and lawmakers were at the ceremony at the Heritage Port Amphitheater in Wheeling to celebrate the signing of the bill, which goes into effect on July 10.  
“With more than 21,000 abandoned wells across the state, we need every tool available to address this challenge efficiently and safely,” said Ward.
“House Bill 3336 gives our plugging partners and operators the flexibility to adapt to real-world conditions and maximize every dollar of available funding without compromising environmental protection.”
“Today I am honored to join Gov. Morrisey as he signs the well plugging bill,” said Del. Mark Zatezalo. “This bill allows modern wells to be plugged efficiently while maintaining fresh water protections present in the initial well construction. This is a good use of upgraded well construction and technological advancement.”
House Bill 3336 allows operators to pierce the casing of abandoned and orphaned wells and fill them with cement without having to remove the central casing.
That method has been successfully tested in the field under a DEP pilot project and meets environmental and safety standards.
Previously, State Code required operators to remove most of a well’s infrastructure before plugging it with cement or other materials, even when the casing was damaged or unsafe to remove.